As Idran will attest to, I really, REALLY like to mess around with alternate mini setting ideas. Sometimes, I start to put pen to paper on them, and sometimes ideas just take off.

As for this one, that's basically what happened. I'm developing a mini-setting into a full blown game. Nothing serious, just a simple board RP with no system- The sort of shit we used to do. Roll a D6 if you need anything and hope to roll high. The game will be more based on exploration of the world than combat- Though I'm not going to say it won't come up. When it does, though, expect it to be quick and dirty. This is more about the plot and characters than powergaming.

The setting itself is still being put together, but I'm feeling confidant with what I have and I'm gonna start to post it. As far as the setting itself, it's pretty simple- All sorts of fantasy races occupying a bunch of different regions and countries. Almost any sentient race will have a nation of their own- And every nation has a unique force. I've got plot ideas and hooks for every race (Doubly so if you play part of that race's unique faction), but feel free to play any race you want. Just remember- The factions are unique to that race. If you want to play a member of the Engineers, they HAVE to be a dragon, for example.

I'll be posting what I have immediately and adding to this as I go- Expect this to be...Kind of big, but also feel free to skip to the meat you want.

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The World of Kinsera

In the year 221 Post Sundering (PS), Kinsera is a land divided by it's peoples and countries. Traditionally marred by war and conflict, Kinsera is in a period of uneasy peace, as none of the nations currently has any desire to go to war- at least, not without a very good reason. The last great war, the Draconic War in 199 PS, ended terribly for almost everyone involved, and the scars are still easily seen today.

Humans are the dominant power in Kinsera now, with numerous kingdoms spread out throughout the land- Largely occupying the former Elven kingdom they banded together to shatter during the Sundering War. The Elves themselves, though scattered into several different regions, are still a force to be reckoned with individually, as are the conniving Nekana, the exploration driven Dwarves, and the feral Goblins. Other nations, such as the nomadic Plainsrunners of Leeka and the dragons of Kokoniel prefer to be left alone, though will get involved in the affairs of other nations...If they have something to gain from it.

The uneasy peace doesn't stop the nations from posturing though. Trade agreements are often negotiated over and over, with both sides threatening each other if they don't get their way- And threatening to bring in other nations. For the most part, the peoples tend to keep to themselves, rarely traveling outside of their own nations unless absolutely necessary.

And then, there's Null.

Null is something of a mystery. Claiming citizenship to all nations but belonging to none, she freely walks Kinsera, speaking in riddles and brokering deals and negotiations. Those who know Null can never agree on what, exactly, she is- A purple scaled Dragon, or a black furred Nekana, or a lop eared Plainsrunner. What is known is that she has the ear of several world leaders, and the trust of more.

That is, until rumors began to spread that Null is orchestrating another global conflict, the likes of which threatens to drag the entire world into war once again. The one thing leaders agree on now is that Null must be found and come to answer for her actions.

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As you might have picked up on, the PCs will be playing agents of the world powers, sent to hunt for Null. While you don't HAVE to be a member of your countries faction, I do recommend it, as like I said I have extra plot concerning members of the party being of certain groups.

As far as the countries, I don't hve them all written up yet, not by far. But if someone has a request, I would be more than happy to fill in what people are still looking for. Also, feel free to hit me with any questions you may have. Lastly, when you have actually decided on your character's race/faction, I will have extra information pertaining to them.

So, the nations/races/factions-

Humans:

Partia - Humans - Djinn:

One of the original human nations, Partia has a rich culture and history despite being cut off from the other human nations by seemingly endless stretches of desert. Although Partia is technically the largest Human country in terms of pure size, so much of it is unlivable desert that it has the lowest population of the human countries.

In Partian society, parents are encouraged to have multiple children, but great emphasis is placed on the first born child of a family. From birth, first born children are clothed in the finest clothes (With a very unique, distinctive style), fed better, and taken care of by society itself, rather than just the individual family.

At 11, the first born is pulled out of normal school and placed in a special program to prepare them for what will hopefully become their new role in society. Placed in a small 'class' of two to three children, total, they are trained in the use of magic- Even if they had little to none to begin with. What aptitude they have is greatly enhanced by training, along with special conditioning and rituals. In the meantime, they also encourage the students to rely more and more heavily on their magic to do what they need, and less and less on their physical bodies.

After sufficient training, the children are tested. If their magical prowess is high enough- Beyond that of even a fully realized archmage- They will be confirmed for graduation, consisting of the complete transformation of the child into a djinn, as well as their placement into a vessel. Though, due to training and magical requirement to turn from a human to a djinn, only a few new Djinn are born every decade.

Due to the seclusion of Partia, and the rough environment, the cities continued survival is based upon the Djinn and their powers. New Djinn continue to be made, since older Djinn grow more powerful, and with that, more mischievous. One of the observed downfalls of the current system is that the process stops the aging process, or at least greatly slows it, leaving the country with a slowly growing population of young men and women wielding immense cosmic powers.

Generally content to keep to themselves, Partia prefers to just continue ensuring it's own survival using the Djinn, though they can't easily stop a Djinn's master when they want to leave the country anyway.

Al Reis - Humans - Alchemists

Secluded within the ivory towers of Khemia, the alchemists of Al Reis value knowledge above all else. Schooled in both magic and science from a young age, the children taken into the Alchemical academies are trained to make something of nothing. More accurately, they're trained to take trace elements from the world around them and transmute them into useful objects. As one of the many human nations, Al Reis considers itself to be a global power, and with it's powerful alchemy, it's hard to argue.

While the alchemical schools, as well as all the government buildings, are held in the floating towers, the land below is largely verdant grassland and farms, worked by the lower class of Al Reis society- Largely comprised of humans with absolutely no magical aptitude or know how, or simply those who failed out of the academies. The upper class, along with the Ruling Council, all live within the floating towers, clusters of which can be found dotting the entire country.

The ruling council of Al Reis consists of eight members, all graduates from the Khemia academy. The council focuses more on the running of the various academies and maintaining the tower cities than the actual running of the country. The credentials of the council are also based upon alchemy- Successful creation of a homonculus will automatically get an alchemist admittance.

The economy of Al Reis is based entirely on barter for raw materials. Currency from other nations, while accepted, is still treated by the value of it's base components, as it's summarily broken down as soon as the transaction is complete.

As a whole, the Alchemists of Al Reis have a superior attitude, claiming their alchemical abilities greater than any force any other nation or race can wield, surpassing even that of the Djinn of Partia (Who, on a personal level, they think as childish and stupid). Al Reis considers itself not only the most advanced of the human countries in culture, but far more advanced than the demihumans of the world. They are a particularly coveted target for the economic advances of the Nekana- The Nekana feel that Al Reis doesn't know the true value of gold, where Al Reis believes Nekana to be foolish when trading mass quantities of grain.

The faction of Al Reis is it's alchemists. Usually the first ones into any of the world's conflicts, their alchemy makes them quite dangerous to their opponents. Their tactics, however, are suspect- It's rumored that the alchemists sacrificed several armies at the end of the Draconic War during the invasion of Mount Gan'ar, and raised them again as revenants in order to cover their own retreat.

Savortia - Humans - Legionnaires

Following the shattering of the Elven kingdom, the allied human nations- Savortia, Wells, and Al Reis, divvied up the lands they had won. Wells took much of the forest that hadn't been set aside for the Elves, along with a large chunk of the natural resources left behind by the fleeing elves. Al Reis helped itself to a quarter of the grassland left over, and the remaining resources, leaving Savortia to take a huge chunk of the land that was formerly Legayne, and not much else.

Originally, such a large land gain seemed good for Savortia- The government could disseminate it's people throughout it, giving away large chunks of farmland to anyone who'd be willing to work it. At first, it worked out well for all involved- Until it came time to produce.

With it's newfound size and booming population, one thing became clear- Savortia had no way to supply it's new farmers. Without supplies, very few of the farms made it very far at all.

In a single generation, Savortia grew from a strong, centralized nation to a sprawling mass of farmland without any infrastructure, support, or even much of an economy. While still a world power, Savortia is more reliant on sheer numbers in a conflict, as opposed to any equipment or strategic advantage.

Because of the nation's poor economy and large numbers, Savortians are very much encouraged to scrounge for supplies and make use of whatever they can in whatever ways they can find.

The faction of Savortia is the Legionaires. Outnumbering almost every other faction on the planet by a margin of 2 to 1, the Legionaires are highly organized, but underequipped. Trained even more than the standard Savortian to find use for refuse and scrap, legionaire units are self equipped and self sufficient, carrying makeshift equipment on them, and using their surroundings to their advantage.

Wells- Dragoons - Gunsmith Sharpshooters.

The primary human nation involved in the Sundering War, Wells took command of the negotiating table at the war's end. As the primary force, Wells claimed right over the cities and factories of the Elven kingdom, and Al Reis was happy to let them take them, while Savortia was in no position to argue, and Partia didn't even have a seat at the table.

Generations later, Wells is an undisputed world power by having made good use of the factories and resources that it won in the Sundering. With the most powerful army and strongest economy in the world, the King of Wells is often considered the most powerful man in the world, even by those who don't openly acknowledge humanity of such stature.

Shortly before the Draconic War, Wells was allied to Kokoniel, and with the help of the Draconic engineers, developed the next generation of weapons, far superior to the flintlocks the Elves had been using for centuries, surpassing them in range and accuracy. These new Longbarrels have been taken up by a special division within Wells' military, the Dragoons.

Wells is a large, extravagant country with a lot of money to throw into their work, and nearly everything they do show it. The military is outfitted with high quality armor with patterns and etchings of various designs and patterns, and the country will more often solve problems by throwing their wealth at it than any real sort of thought.

The faction of Wells is the Dragoons. Armed with Longbarrels, the Dragoons are excellent marksmen and sharpshooters. Easily identified by their ornate bronze armor, the Dragoons seem half soldiers and half decoration, though they're extremely quick to respond to any threat to Wells or it's wellbeing.

(Unfinished Human races:Ground Zero - The Altered- I'm not telling you anything about these guys. You'll have to ask me privately.)

Elves:

Garpaath - Snow Elves - Frostborn

After the Sundering War shattered the unified elven kingdom of Legayne, the elves occupying the northern villages within the kingdom were pushed further north by the land annexes of Al Reis and Savortia. Kicked out of their land, and with only one place to go, the elves moved into the only free land still available to them- The frozen, rocky wastelands and mountains of Garpaath.

Initially unsuited for the harsh terrain, the old and frail fell ill and died before the relocation was even complete. Within two generations, the elves were accustomed to the cold and dark, and within five, they had completely adapted to it.

The Snow Elves, as they came to be known, are one of the hardest and heartiest races on Kinsera. Although they retain the small stature of elves, they are physical powerhouses with the strength and stamina to put any hardened warrior to shame.

Shaped by the hardships of Garpaath, Snow Elves have taken a bluish skin tone, and cool colors of hair- Blue, purples, and greys. They retain the elves long, sweeping, pointed ears, and their eyes glow a deep blue. As a people, they put their strength and stamina to work in the mines of the mountains, not only mining and processing the ore, but shaping it into masterwork weapons and armor to be sold, mostly to the other Elf nations.

The heart of the Snow Elves of Garpaath are the Frostborn. Beginning at a young age, the Frostborn are elves who put extra effort into conditioning their bodies for physical exertion and hardships, often going barefoot in the frost for months on end, and working to custom make their own weapons and armor from the beginning, from mining the ore to forging the weapon itself. For armor, however, the less they're wearing, the better, much to the chagrin of the other Elven nations who fight along side them. And due to their hard work and training, a Frostborn's bare skin can be as tough as any armor fielded by any other nation.

Weapons of choice for Frostborn are massive weapons of all sorts requiring both hands to swing, and immense physical strength to keep control over. Frostborn are notorious for wading into enemy ranks in little more armor than what keeps them decent, and coming out without so much as a scratch.

Underbog - Dark Elves - Duelists

As the Sundering War drew to a close, the united human armies drew ever closer to the throne city of Mediin, the haughty and aristocratic upper class of elves living within began to withdraw. Being composed largely of the upper class of Elven society, the elves were largely unsuited to the rigors of leaving their city lives behind- Especially with the persistent threat of the human armies invading at any moment.

Many of the elves escapes were cut short as the siege of the city began. Personal possessions were left behind and anyone left within the city took cover where ever they could- Including in the culverts under the city. AS the fighting above ground got more and more intense, the elves pushed deeper and deeper underground.

As they pushed through the sewers, the elves made an interesting discovery- A large subterranean cavern under Lagayne, far larger than Mediin itself. Surprising not only in it's location under the most powerful city in the known world at the time, but also for it's incredibly fresh and pure water supply, as well as a variety of wildlife and bio-luminescent fauna and glowing crystals. No longer able to hear the fighting above, the elves decided to settle in to the safety of the swampy cavern, titled the Underbog.

Like the other elven races scattered during the Sundering War, the Elves of Underbog were deeply affected by their environment. They gained a tolerance for low light, as well as darker skin pigments, turning them anywhere between a light gray to nearly black. Their eyes also seemed to take the vibrancy of the crystals dotting the Underbog, turning almost glowing shades of yellow, bright green, blue, and red. Unlike the other elves, the Dark Elves of Underbog were protected by their environment, and even though they had to start new lives, the elves weren't particularly hardened by it. As such, in comparison to the other elven races, the Dark Elves have something of a reputation for being 'soft', though in terms of constitution and physical strength, they're not terribly far behind a human.

Dark Elves pride themselves on keeping their aristocratic roots. Running for your lives into a subterranean cavern is no reason not to dress well and act like a nobleman. Even today, Dark Elves are known for their fashion sense and swagger. Most everything a dark elf does is done with a certain amount of panache and style.

Due to their 'softness', Dark Elves train themselves for speed in combat, as opposed to raw strength. Their faction is the Duelists, amazingly skilled fighters who put on an amazing show- So long as they're in single combat. It's said that one on one, no one can beat a Dark Elf- And not only will they win, they will look amazing doing it.

Preferred weapons of the dark elves are usually ornate longsword swords, daggers, or pistols, or even multiple sets depending on the situation, and are often dual wielded for that extra flare. Armor is almost always light, leather, if not cloth- Just because you're fighting to the death is no reason not to dress well.

New Legayne - City Elves - Skyrazors

As the Shattering War took a turn for the worse for the elves, they quickly began to flock out of their cities and homes. Not quite as ready to return to nature as their cousins in the farmlands, the elves of the cities of Legayne did their best to simply stay out of the soldiers ways, but gradually got pushed more and more out into the wilderness and away from the stockpiles of supplies and goods they had hidden while trying to rough out the storm.

Setting up temporary homes in the grasslands of Legayne, the elves continued to make quick raids into their occupied territory, grabbing whatever supplies they could from their stockpiles and quickly running back into the 'safety' of the grasslands. Though as the stored supplies began to run short, the elves had to conduct more and more daring raids, sometimes to steal supplies from the Humans, as well as trying to navigate through their lines to the stockpiles further into their cities.

As supplies were growing shorter and shorter, the elves began to formulate plans as they continued to be pushed further and further away form their land to avoid the increasing numbers of human invaders. Finally, one daring elf had an idea- Not ideal, or even a good idea at all, but it was worth a shot. The Elves didn't have a lot of options.

A common sight in the grasslands were the massive Razorbeaks. Huge, carnivorous birds that hunted in packs, the Razorbeaks had been a constant worry for the fleeing elves- Until it was decided to try and use them to their advantage.

Capturing a small number of Razorbeaks, volunteer elves worked to domesticate the animals, and train them as mounts- A process that proved to be surprisingly easy, and quite effective. Those elves became the first Skyrazors.

Using the Razorbeaks to assist their raids, the elves had little to worry about. The bird's speed allowed them to quickly drop in where they needed to be, collect supplies, and make an escape- Often faster than the humans could respond. And woe be to the Savortian that attempted to fight off a Razorbeak.

Even after the Sundering, the City Elves continued to grow closer and closer to their new allies- Continuing to move further into the wilderness, building new cities to accommodate their own needs, as well as the needs of their mounts. Eventually, all the elves that had evacuated the countless cities of Legayne began to meet up, bringing with them the various flocks and subspecies of Razorbeak. With the help of their new allies, the City Elves began to construct a massive network of cities, sprawling along the sides of the Thelserai mountains- Out of reach of any invaders that can't fly, let alone the humans.

Unlike the other elves, the City Elves of New Legayne weren't physically affected by their new environment, so they retain their light skin colors and 'normal' eye and hair colors, by human standards. But, over time, their symbiosis with the Razorbeaks deepened. For every elf born, a Razorbeak is also born- And the two form a complete whole. Able to communicate with their bird telepathically, the elves learn to ride their birds almost as naturally as they learn to walk and talk. Though, just because every City Elf has a Razorbeak partner doesn't mean that every set is a member of the Skyrazors.

The faction of New Legayne is the Skyrazors, flying shock troopers who specialize in hit and run attacks. While not as powerful as a dragon, Skyrazors still dominate the sky with their speed and viciousness, while keeping out of reach of most combatants using small pistols and long spears. The preferred armor of the Skyrazors is leather or chainmail, often decorated with discarded feathers from the Razorbeaks from within the family and within their unit.

The Green - Forest Elves - Dryads

In many ways, the elven farmers were the first casualties of the Sundering War. In the very beginning of the war, when the outnumbered and outgunned humans were still mustering their forces, the first strike was proposed against the farmlands of Tash'gliney, in what is now known as Savortia. Occupied almost exclusively by farmers, Tash'gliney was easily taken from the elves who worked the fertile land, cutting the greater Elf forces off from much of their supply early in the war.

Forced off their lands without the option to move deeper into elven territory or pass into the lines of the invading human armies, the farmers of Tash'gliney were faced with two options: Move into the plains and potentially be picked off by the Razorbeaks, or take shelter in the forest of the Greens.

While some indeed move to the grasslands, becoming some of the first Razorbeaks, most opted for the safety of the forest. While not secluded, the Green is full of huge trees, tall and thick enough around to be nearly impossible to cut down. With as deep as the Green was, and the thick tree cover, it served absolutely no strategic value, being too dense to move an army through and too overgrown to develop, it served a perfect spot for the elves.

Some of the elves took to the trees, using fallen branches to construct wooden housing. Others dug into the ground, making underground huts under the massive roots. They sustained themselves on forest game and flora, though overtime they found themselves consuming less and less of it. More time was spent in the clearings of the greens, taking in the warmth and light of the sun, with only occasional hunting parties collecting a bare minimum of game and gathering just a little bit of edible flora.

Like the other Elves, the Forest Elves found themselves changing over time. Their skin became shades of green, their hair took colors matching the flowers of the forest, and their bodies slowed down, taking the pace of the forest around them. They began to only eat once every few weeks, instead taking in the rays of the sun as sustenance, as well as moisture from the air and soil. Many of their hunting tools-- Knives, bows and arrows, and traps, became tools of the trade to defend themselves from invaders of the forest.

Unlike most of the other elf species, a small number of the elves continued to change even beyond the scope of the others. Their bodies became wooden, but not stiff and hard. They drank in the sun and water more efficiently, and began communcating directly with the trees and wildlife. They became halfway between trees and elf, Dryads, walking between the world of Elf and nature itself.

Dryads serve as leaders within the community, being able to communicate with The Green itself. Though as part of that, they also face a greater calling; the great cycle. Dryads, along with their personal assistants and guards (known as Arbitors) travel the world, speaking with the land and sharing their wisdom and experience. As part of the cycle, the dryad must actually become one with the land itself- A dryad on the Great Cycle will fully embrace their natural side for a bit, becoming a tree in order to become one with the land. When this process is over, the tree flowers, producing a seed, from which the dryad is, quite literally, reborn. Due to the rejuvenation provided in the cycle, it's known that the first and oldest Dryad, Redbark, is old enough to remember the initial exodus from Tash'gliney, and it's not uncommon for a dryad's features to change repeatedly during the cycle, not only going from old to young, but also changing other features, such as their hair, eyes, and even things as deep as what sort of tree they emulate, and occasionally, gender. Despite the changes and rejuvenation, the dryad is absolutely the same entity they were previously, with the tree they becoming being just an average, if not magically significant, tree.

Due to their immortality, Dryads are very few in number, twelve in total. At any given time, six stay within the Green to watch over the Elves, with the other six engaging in the Great Cycle. When one returns from a complete cycle, the next moves on to begin theirs.

Nekana:

Nekana - Nekana - Business Corps and Ninja

In the shadow of the Famarii mountain range lies the capital city of Nekana, crown jewel of the Nekana kingdom. Almost as ubiquitous as humans themselves, the Nekana have ingrained themselves in societies around the world- Though it's not uncommon for Nekana to hide their feline features and blend in with human societies

A demihuman race, Nekana are humans with catlike features- Generally pointed ears atop their head, long, dexterous (Though not prehensile) tails, built in claws, catlike eyes, and occasionally patches of fur on extremities. Commonly, their hair tends to have patches and patterns of color, as well as being in colors more commonly associated with cats than humans- Off whites, oranges, and even deep blues.

A matriarchal society, Nekana is mostly controlled by it's women. Ruled over by a queen and and a largely female parliament, girls are taught at a young age that they will grow to become the leaders of their generation. Boys are brought up to be the manual labor and the service force within the kingdom, girls are trained to be the business owners and leaders.

More, Nekana are shrewd businesspeople, keeping a close eye on the ebb and flow of the economies of nearly every country in the world. It's often said that the Nekana entrepreneurs will collaborate with their counterparts in other countries to create runs and shortages on goods, and then sell them at a premium.

Officially, Nekana is completely neutral in all affairs- Their faction, the Business Corps, is non-military, spreading throughout the world to help the other countries manage their finances, and to expand their own businesses. In reality, the faction of Nekana are the Ninja. Using the Business Corps as a front, the various ninja cartels have their hands in anything that suits their specific needs- Crime, espionage, even assassinations.

For every one girl trained for the Business Corps, there are three trained as ninja. Taking advantage of the Nekana's feline speed, heightened senses and flexibility, they are trained to be near perfect warriors, striking swiftly from the shadows and disappearing without a trace.

The ninja aren't simply dedicated to combat, however. Making up the real backbone of the Nekana empire's economy through illegal imports and exports, the ninja cartels are responsible a rather large chunk of theft throughout the world. But due to their skill and caution, it's next to impossible to prove they've stolen anything at all- Even when they turn around and attempt to sell it back to you.

DragonsKokoniel - Dragons - Engineers

Due to a perpetual cloud hanging over the mountain, the summit of Mount Gan'ar is never seen from the countries below it. What is known is that the peak serves as the home of one of the few strongholds of the extremely illusive dragons. Naturally defended by the harsh terrain of the mountain, along with the extremely harsh weather and a large number of Revenants left on the mountain itself following the poorly planned Draconic War, it's said that no human has ever seen the summit- At least, none that weren't specially invited by the dragons themselves.

Beneath the cloud, the summit is actually a humanistic city, sprawling along a tangle of gears and steam vents, digging deep into the mountain itself. Despite being high in the mountains and right in the middle of a perpetual snow, the fortress city of Kokoniel is quite warm and inviting to the dragons. Despite a deep distrust of humans, dragons are more commonly found in their humanoid forms, simply for the sake of space. Rarely, dragons have also been known to court the other races, producing half dragons.

Dragons themselves come in all shapes and sizes. Common features are vibrant scales of blues, reds, yellows, blacks, purples, and very rarely greens (Though never mixed). Large horns, various wing shapes and sizes, and elementally charged breath. Dragon genetics are something of a mystery though, two red scaled dragons with fiery breath can have a child with blue scales and icy breath.

In their humanoid forms, dragons have very human features- Other than retaining patches of scales at various points on the body, along with their powerful tails, wings, and horns. It's next to impossible to tell a dragon in human form from a born halfdragon- Not that there's really any difference at all.

Though widely considered to be single-mindedly intelligent, with no brains for anything but mechanical work, the dragons of Kokoniel are actually among the most skilled craftsmen in the world. Mechanically minded with good eyes for problem solving, the dragons boast some of the most advanced technology in the world- Including a monopoly on the market for airships, which the dragons consider a right of passage to construct.

Though distrustful of almost every other nation and race, young dragons will mostly do apprentice work outside of Kokoniel, as even an inexperienced dragonblooded mechanic is still (usually) better than some of the most skilled human or elven mechanics. Upon completion of the apprenticship, they return to Kokoniel and assume work as a full mechanic.

The faction of Kokoniel is the draconic Engineers. Using their mechanical skill and know how, they take to the field with mechanical monsters that barely seem to function, and can quickly repair most damaged mechanical devices.

PlainsrunnersNomads - Plainsrunners - Outrunners

Scattered throughout the grasslands of Kinsera live several different tribes of Plainsrunners. Though not united under a single banner, they all acknowledge kinship of race, even if there are large differences, physically, between them.

Not just a single 'race' of Demihumans, the Plainsrunners are made up of a spectrum of demihuman races, including mice, voles, rabbits, hares, dogs, and squirrels. Though you can find tribes consisting of one entire subrace of Plainsrunners, it's much more common to see a mixture of the bunch in a single tribe. Tribes are nomadic, moving through their planes in search of game and resources, and never staying in a single place for more than a few weeks. As such, Plainsrunner architecture doesn't exist- Villages are made up of tents and coverings that can be quickly dismantled and packed away.

Over the years, the nomadic nature of the Plainsrunners has become clouded and lost- It's simply in their culture to constantly be moving, and how they know to survive. It's speculated, however, that the ancient Nekana had something to do with this need to be in constant motion, since Nekana traditionally do no business with the Plainsrunners- Though that could be because the Plainsrunners have nothing of value to the Nekana.

The 'economy' of a Plainsrunner tribe is almost nonexistent. Plainsrunners very rarely see objects in terms of personal possession, but in terms of belonging to the tribe as a whole. Objects are taken when they are needed, and replaced at earliest convenience. This could be another reason for the disdain of the Nekana.

The faction of the Plainsrunners is the Outrunners. Taking advantage of Plainsrunner's natural speed, and wearing light armor, the Outrunners out maneuver and outflank their opponents, constantly attacking from the best angle, and insuring the opponent can't escape- At least not on foot.

Given Kinsera's war-filled history, it's not uncommon for men, women, and even children to be grievously injured, and loss of life and limb can turn into a real hazard in a warzone.

While this used to just be an unfortunate reality, it's begun to change. Shortly before the Draconic war, the first clockwork prosthesis began to be exported from Kokoniel. While not as prestigious to make as airships, the prosthesis did serve a much needed purpose: Allowing those wounded in war to continue functioning normally. Replacing a lost apendage, a Draconic prosthesis was well worth the investment for most, allowing them function and use of the limb they had lost.

However, there is a bit of a problem with the prosthetics. Shortly after being attached, the prosthetic would begin to grow, absorbing and converting the wearer gradually more and more into a mechanized version of themselves. Within weeks, flesh and blood would be replaced by gears and machine oil. While this transformation was never unpleasant-- Clockwork have never reported any physical pain or anxiety during the transformation-- It was often quite disturbing for those involved.

Despite the fact that the person's mind and memories were virtually unchanged, with all personality, memory, and even magical aptitude in tact, it's not uncommon for Clockwork to be shunned by their families, and to a greater extent, society. To many, the condition is a disease not unlike an odd form of leprosy and should be avoided at all costs. That's not to say that Clockwork, while shunned by society, don't have their place- Especially in Al Reis, their enhanced physical strength and agility, as well as immunity to fatigue, is put to use in manual labor. Even during the war, it wasn't uncommon for upper class families of Al Reis to 'adopt' disabled children and have them fit with prosthetics...And then make use of the cheap labor provided soon after.

Due to the peace treaty, such practices were eliminated-- Part of the Dragons end of the bargain was that the practice of 'slavery by adoption' be stopped. Since then, any Clockwork not subservient to a human is more treated as a blight on society, an ugly thing to be placed to the side and ignored. As such, it's not uncommon for many Clockwork to be sent to live in Partia, whom the other human societies pay to keep them. Even with their enhanced endurance, Clockwork cannot escape the vast desert- Even the least bit of sand getting inside their inner mechanisms is a death sentence if not properly treated and cleaned. Because of that, Partia has a large Clockwork community.

Physically, Clockwork are very similar to how they were in life, and the only definite way to identify a clockwork is through the original prosthesis. Despite this, many Clockwork have a unique way of dressing, wearing tight fitting clothing designed to keep their inner workings tightly closed and protected, and then many wear cloaks or ponchos over that. Being made of metal, Clockwork have extreme physical strength, some surpassing even the Snow Elves or Revenants.

There are even champion Clockwork, called Paragonss. Paragons are clockwork who have fully embraced their new mechanical nature, and made efforts to upgrade themselves beyond 'default'. A Paragon Clockwork is said to be among one of the physically strongest creatures in Kinsera, surpassed only by a seasoned Snow Elf, or a dragon in full form. Paragons tend to not hide themselves with the wrappings and panchos common to the other Clockwork, and tend to be more than a little aggressive concerning the social status of their 'race'.

The remaining races I have yet to complete, and will list them here and complete if anyone has any interest in playing any of them from the brief discriptions-

Gnomes - Beastmasters: With a bond with the animals that help them compensate for their small size, Gnomish hunters can be quite effective.Gnomes - Druids: Don't let their small size fool you. Just because they turn into a bear cub doesn't mean they're any less threatening. ...Sometimes.Dwarves- Cartographers: Digging for treasure was pretty profitable. But so is making huge networks of underground tunnels, and a whole underground society!

Wow. Long post is long. Feel free to hit me with any questions, or requests for the unfinished races.

Edit: Added Dark Elves.Edit: Added Legionaires and Skyrazors.Edit: Added Plainsrunners and Dragoons.Edit: Added Clockwork.Edit: Changed Clockwork specials from Pinnacle to Paragon, because I like it better (and because I already used it in story, WHOOPS)

Born into a well-to-do family, Triya, as a younger child, was not in line for either a place in the infamous djinn academy or a significant inheritance. Expected to make her own way in life, she applied herself to scholarly and magical studies and to dance, and expected to end up living a quiet married life at some point in the future. As it happened, the powers that were had other ideas. Triya was plucked from her settled life and informed that she was to be partnered with a djinn. Although familiar with the binding charms that theoretically grant a master control over a djinn, Triya was recruited not solely for her skills, but for a family connection to her intended partner.

One of the first generation of djinni, Sana is well-traveled, experienced and frighteningly powerful, able to restructure the world around her on a whim (typically in response to wishes made by mortals). Theoretically, those powers, greater and lesser, are employed under the direction of a djinni-master, charged with providing direction to the whimsical djinn. In practice, any bindings grow increasingly less effective as the djinn grows older. A master's orders are treated as suggestions, and woe betide the master who annoys their djinn. For all their power and capriciousness though, djinni genuinely enjoy human contact, and while they may work mischief, there is seldom any malevolence to them. In this case, by pairing Sana with her great niece, it is hoped she will stay in line of her own accord.

Triya is still adjusting to her new life as a roving agent of Partia and gradually acquiring real world experience to supplement her learning. Despite appearances, she knows she is the younger and more vulnerable of the pair and has undergone significant combat training in case anybody tries to take advantage of that fact.

In terms of personality, Triya is friendly and cheerful, but dutiful, taking her responsibilities very seriously. That said, she greatly enjoys working with Sana, and the older djinn's own attitudes are gradually rubbing off on her. Sana, while also friendly and cheerful, has no particular regard for authority and doesn't take life at all seriously. Where there are two ways to do something, she will invariably choose the more interesting. Mindful of this tendency and the immense power at the djinn's disposal, Triya acts as a balancing influence, only calling on her when necessary.

The definition of a mage is someone who can safely wield a magical (usually elemental) force, and it takes roughly the same degree of talent as most other fantasy settings. They can be found in all nations, so none really try to lay claim to them at all. Now, a POWERFUL mage is one that can safely and effectively wield several magical forces.

Not the best explanation but that's what I've got for it. I can try and pin it down a little better if necessary.

Currently, there are 8 homonculi, each created by one of the members of the Al Reis ruling council. To create one- That is, a sentient homonculus that survives longer than a couple hours, is said to be a sign of an expert alchemist.The homonculi themselves are possessing of awesome powers not usually associated with humans, though limited in scope, and all different from one another. The only connecting factor between the homonculi is an unnatural aura that makes others feel uncomfortable in their presence, along with some degree of enhanced physical strength. Physically, the Homonculi all wear dark clothes, usually blacks, and have light, chalky skin in contrast to dark hair.

The first Homonculus was named Pride, as he was his creator's crowning achievement. The second, as a rib at the first, was named Sloth. From there, the next set's name was decided- Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, and Envy. Of course, the most recent one was something of a problem with the theme names used up, so they named her for her singing voice, and her control over sound- Sonata, or Sunny, for short.

In the capital towers of Khemia, it's not uncommon to find a few of the Homoculi wandering, though it's highly recommended to stay out of their way with some of the 'personality quirks'. Envy, while appearing as a young woman, is quite feral and doesn't hesitate to bite if provoked- She's removed at least three hands in her time. Pride, appearing as an older man, is quite a conversationalist, and exceptionally long winded. Sonata appears as a young girl, and largely keeps to herself, humming or singing quietly, though when upset, she's been known to scream at a frequency that can shatter glass and even stone.

The remaining Homonculi are all kept under much closer watch and not allowed the free run of the towers. Given how dangerous Envy's proven to be it's rumored that they're even worse to be denied free roam.

Well, I've been known to open stuff like that up to the players, so long as they sell me on the character. Hit me up on Steam (Shinigori is the name. I think) or AIM (TheWaiChibiAngel). Or PMs on the board if you prefer, and let me know what you're thinking.

A striking figure when fully adorned in her Al Reis uniform, Nadia Dragomira stands at a a full six feet tall, more than enough to look down on the majority of the soldiers under her supervision. Her long, auburn hair is normally tied back, revealing the smattering of scars on her face and, when she chooses to wear it, the eye-patch that conceals the white pupil of her blinded left eye. While her lithe, lanky build does little to inspire terror and garner respect, her cold, humorless blue eye can stare down the most stoic of troublemakers. Those that still aren't impressed usually have a change of heart when they find themselves lying on their backs during training with bruises they couldn't even begin to explain how they acquired.

People often describe Nadia as a cheerless, dour individual and rightfully so - When she's on the job she is no-nonsense and to the point, forgoing usual formalities to get things done as efficiently and effectively as possible. Her training methods are strict but fair, emphasizing her mantra that an alchemist is only a strong as their greatest failing, striving to ensure that any alchemist she trains is as strong and potent physically as magically. While there is grumbling about her methods from the upper echelons of the wealthy and entitled, they can't argue with her results: Nadia has one of the fewest failure rates in her students in the nation through no favoritism on her part.

Those that get to know Nadia off the job, however, find that she is sarcastic woman with a love of wit and dark humor. While loyal and confident nearly to a fault, she has become disillusioned with the path her beloved country has taken over the years, watching time and time again as the upper class isolate and distance Al Reis further and further from the other nations of the world, preferring instead to look down upon them instead of learning and utilizing the strange and alien abilities the other races possess. Her own military career stagnated after she resigned herself to train new alchemists and complete the occasional mission when her specialties were needed - Kissing up is the one ability beyond her scope, something that when combined with her cynical attitude towards her superiors has made further advancement impossible.

I'm still working through the details myself, but right now I'm thinking a Nekana ninja trying to work her way up to the Business Corps. More interested in finance than the usual duties as a ninja, she's trying to prove herself there well enough to leave her faction and join the other.

Guy Savarin is a Legionnaire from Savortia. He was born a farmer's son in a poor country, just like very nearly every other son of Savortia. This meant that as he grew on the farm, there was little to no money to replace damaged or broken equipment and tools, replacements and fixes were all jury-rigs using junk from anything else that wasn't already being used. Guy developed the knack for reworking junk into useful tools quickly, and honed it into something of an art. By the time Guy turned thirteen, the improvements he regularly made to the Savarin farm had noticeable impact on it's produce. Where other farms simply broke even at best, the Savarin farm began to turn a meager profit.

Two years passed, and as the Savarin farm continued to prosper the neighbors began to talk. They had no inkling that there was anything special about the boy, assuming that there was something in either the soil or the water on the Savarin estate. When asked directly, Guy's father Dyne credited his boy openly. The neighbors scoffed, of course. Anyone could bind a thin, bent iron plate to a broken wooden stake with rope and use it as a shovel for an hour, they said. Still, gossip about Guy Savarin spread. It wasn't long before a legionnaire recruiter was at their door. Guy's parents were as enthusiastic about his joining as Guy himself was, optimistic that military service would provide Guy an opportunity at a better life.

Three years have passed since then, and while life hasn't been perfect Guy has made a name for himself among the Legionnaires.

Guy is 5'9" and has shaggy red hair, blue eyes and darkly tanned skin from a great deal of time spent out in the sun. He wears ratty looking faded blue overalls stained from dirt and grass, a black shirt with a few holes along the edges of the sleeves and collar, and dust caked leather boots. He also keeps an old brown trench coat, but doesn't always wear it. Finally he wears two belts on his waist, which would be entirely superfluous if they didn't hold his packs and holsters, filled with an ever changing assortment of eclectic odds and ends.

Though not exactly new to the faction of Ninja, Kyrie hasn't been a part of it for quite as long as her age would suggest, a few middling results in her appraisal for both factions led her headmaster to delay the usual selection by a few years, during which time she happened to spend some time in a local store over the summer where her father worked on stock. Since her selection, that experience and how much she enjoyed seeing the business side of things discouraged her towards following in her mother's footsteps as a ninja. She's been somewhat discontent, feeling that even if she wouldn't be as skilled among the Business faction, it would be a better fit for her personally. Thus, since her selection, she's worked to cultivate connections and skills that will help her eventual petition for a change.

At around 5 feet tall and just over 100 pounds, Kyrie's about average in height and build for nekana. When coupled with her tendency for wearing bland, somewhat boring or drab clothing, this makes her excellent for blending into the background - like most ninja, Kyrie tends not to be noticed unless she wants to be, which is usually fine with her. While she doesn't mind talking with others, and she can be as cheerful as any, she does have a definite streak of introversion, not wishing to spend more time than she has to doing so. It's common for her to slip out of conversations she doesn't have much interest in or where she has nothing to say personally while others are busy with one another, often without her absence caught for some time. She has a definite dislike, however, for those that confuse her preferences for shyness or bashfulness, and accusing her of such is an easy way to get her angered very quickly. She has a slight suspicion that this contributed to her selection, which causes her no end of personal frustration.

A short post to start with, but all I want right off are character introductions.

And now a brief list of what your country's seal is-

Savortia- A medallion of brass with an imprint of a shovel and a hoe. The farming implement, not...Yeah.

Partia- A bracelet of coins laced together with golden twine. Each coin has imprinted upon it a dune of desert sand.

Al Reis- A silver pocket watch embossed with a symbol of balanced scales. The watch is pure silver, and will not function again if broken down for parts and reassembled. Probably a bad idea to do that.

Nekana- A small emblem with a design of a cat's paw print. Each separate piece of the print is a different piece of jade, set into a gold plate. Specifically, this is the symbol of the Lucky Paw cartel, and it would be a great dishonor to lose it.

New Legayne- A golden pinion feather from the Razorbeak Matriarch.

If I've forgotten anyone, please feel free to harass me. Also harass me for your starting bonus info concerning your specific factions, if I have not given it to you already.

Arc is perhaps best described as an 'odd egg', physically, mentally, and emotionally. At five foot, six inches tall (not counting his absurd, exceptionally ornate hat, complete with eye-catching dangly things), his decidedly rail-thin and somewhat bent figure seems to add at least 30 to 40 years to his age, and the light burn scarring on parts of his face do little to discourage that mis-assessment. His eyes, when not covered by clunky, heavily machined and likely useless goggles, are almost perpetually opened wide, lending him an air of quiet terror only marred by his brusque and vaguely nonsequitorial manner of speech, which reveals that he is, in fact, merely overinterested in every facet of the world around him.

His mannerisms suggest a complete disregard for proper social mores, and perhaps just a touch of suppressed psychological trauma (most likely self-inflicted). He has a tendency not to look where he's walking, or at who he's talking to, or at what he's doing, and to spend a greater part of his attention addressing the minutiae of a tangent than actually explaining his main point in discussions, arguments, or even casual conversations.

If one were to look at his academic record, however, one might well be flabbergasted. As unhinged as he is, and as unsuited to teaching (or interacting in any way with) students as he is, the madman does generate results. He's submitted hundreds upon hundreds of original formulae, designs, constructs (and no small amount of napkins with a half-scribbled note and a vaguely non-euclidean sketch) to the central registry, a record that puts him on par with octogenarian professors; while an embarrassing number of these ideas are either non-reproducible or simply stupid as hell, the sheer quantity produces some gold, as it were. As such, he has a small lab under his jurisdiction, staffed with a handful of either fresh, enthusiastic young graduates, or tired, unambitious slightly older graduates who, from all appearances, seem to have given up on life being something comfortable or especially sane. The former obviously become the latter through an incredibly painful process known as 'life.'

As such, due to his ingenuity, irritating manner, ungentlemanly conduct, and the fact that a member of the ruling council's favorite niece may or may not have lost a finger in Arc's officallly-classified 'pestle incident,' he has been deemed both skilled enough to complete tasks for the glory of Al Reis, and expendable enough to die completing tasks for the glory of Al Reis.

A proud member of the Skyrazors, Talorn has taken part in many a daring raid upon human settlements. Known to be somewhat reckless and leaping before thinking, the elf has a habit of dismounting during raids solely to serve as a distraction, while other Skyrazors loot. He utilizes his long spear in vicious sweeps to keep opponents at bay while his own Razor attacks from unexpected angles. And just when the guards think they have him, Talorn snags onto the harness of his Razor as it flies by pulling him to safety.

Talorn wears mainly thick cured leather as protection to vital areas. Thinner more flexible leather covers his joins to let the elf have mostly normal flexibility. With glinting plate strapped to wear one would wear greaves or gauntlets in order to help ward off heavier blows to such areas. His leather shoulder pads are adorned primarily with dark purple feathers, with an assortment of blues and greens arranged in a small frill. A small bouqet of feathers dangles from a thick leather line attached to his belt.

Known to have a more fun loving personality, Talorn enjoys a good fight and usually can’t keep quiet during one, usually to the chagrin of his opponent and anyone that might be listening. Despite such a personality he is able to keep his head in a fight despite his own constant chatter and taunting.

Name: RazackiRace: SkyrazorAge: 27Gender: Female.

Dark royal purple hues seem to only get reinforced by Razacki’s ‘royal’ attitude, that was no doubt garnered from her reckless proud rider Quick to snap at strangers if Talorn is not in her immediate presence. Very average in size for a Razorbeak and just as deadly as the average if not with abit more tenacity due to her proud nature. Her harness is decorated with an assortment of feather colors similar to the ones on Talorn’s armor.

Oleai Windspeaker was one of eight children in this generation of the Windspeaker family. Her family's role in the caravan was to summon the wind to power sails adorning the Tribe's large wagons, easing in their movement across the plains and from camp to camp. Not a prodigy, but by no means untalented, Oleai took very well to the Wind-magic her mother and father taught her. (Aside, On Windspeaker magic: The Rabbit-Mages in the Windspeaker family focus primarily on creating powerful gusts of wind, though it is not uncommon for them to train in altering the Earth as well. Rumors speak of more powerful control over the elements) The time came for Oleai to begin to learn how to alter and control the Earth.

An excitable and dutiful student, Oleai spent most of her free time away from the Tribe and practicing her magics at a (what she thought to be) safe distance. A bit naive, perhaps, during their yearly migration from the southern plains to the northern plains, Oleai ventured up into the canyons to practice. Growing ever more confident in her abilities, she attempted to reshape a boulder into a statue of herself - drawing nearby stone away to create the vain monument. In doing so, she inadvertantly weakened the ground beneath her. With a catastrophic crack, crash and tumble; the mountainside came sliding down into the canyon valley - Blocking it entirely (The spry Mage-woman escaping thanks to an upward leap, and a parachute down). The migration, the entire cycle of tribal travel was broken. The blame laid squarely on Oleai's tiny shoulders. Shamed, humiliated and scorned for her actions, she was stripped of the name Windspeaker and rebranded as Canyonsunder, a testiment to her crime. This shame came with banishment from the Plainsrunner lands, never to return.

Oleai longs to return home, to her family and her tribe. Believing the only way to do this, would be to bring an equal amount of prosperity or good-tidings to the nomadic Plainsrunner people. She's packed up, and since then has journied to find and achieve just that.

Personality:

Quirky, curious and cautious. Oleai tends to stay on the lighter and softer side of things, always seeing the best in people, or situations. Generally naive of the brutality of the outside world, given her rough-yet-sheltered lifestyle before her journey began.

Physical Description:

Oleai stands roughly 6'6" tall, weighing in at about 215~lbs, mostly thanks to her legs. A Rabbit-Demihuman Plainsrunner, she's adorned with many of their traits; the long ears pointed skyward, the bushy cotton-tail, the fur-covering, and of course the near-oversized hips and legs for birthing and running\jumping. Able to make a standing-leap of nearly 25 feet, and sprint upwards of 70mph (Sprinting. 40mph cross-country would be considered a 'comfortable' pace). Oleai's upper-frame is petite. Small shoulders, arms, and bust; all contrasted by her wide hips and large muscular legs.

A Mage of her tribe, her garb ranges from practical to ceremonial. The open plains of her homeland and the always-on-the-move lifestyle called for airy, light garb; usually a sort of strapped-top and loincloth, covered over with her Windspeaker cloak. (Described later). Post-banishment, she's tended to bundle herself up for travel around strange company; slipping a dull-brown robe on to cover her more traditional Plainsrunner garb, along with a large backpack to support her pack-rat tendancies.

A few trinkets and treasure in her posession she keeps on her body at all times: A jade bracelet upon her left wrist, a golden ring around her right ear (Resting atop her head), along with various tribal jewelry, beads, and adornments. Hanging on her hip is a Tambourine featuring the Plainsrunner emblem (A paw-print burnt into a tanned hide); and of course: Her Windspeaker cloak. An invention of her family, and unique to Oleai's particular Plainsrunner tribe; this clothing article is made of a specially cured and tanned leather hide to keep it flexible while remaining strong under harsh winds. The cloak is attached via metal bracelets to the wearer's wrists, waist, and ankles. Appearing to be a multi-tiered and rather colorful cloak; it's true purpose comes from the Windspeaker who wears it: The parachute-like cloak can be filled with a powerful gust of wind to carry the wearer a short distance by air, or extend a leap by upwards of a hundred feet over distance, or fifty feet straight up. Also usable as a viable parachute for safe and softer landings. The cloak is stained with the family crest (A tribal-looking symbol dipicting wind across a valley) and various dyes to give it a blue pigment.

Last edited by Oleai on Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:30 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Thanks for the welcome! This'll be my first earnest attempt at a forum roleplay, but I'm not a stranger to roleplaying by any means. (DnD, MMO Roleplay) But if I break some kind of rule, or make a faux pas, just shoot me a message.

Also! Very excited about this, I really love the world already. If anyone wishes to discuss the game all of my IM handles are over..

Rasmus Icestrider is a Snow Elf, and one of the Frostborn at that. He stands at five foot, seven inches, and has light, somewhat ashen blue skin, along with blue eyes. Among other Frostborn, he'd barely stand out at all, were his silver hair not cut in a distinct style, with the sides shorn, and the hair on top swept back in a lazy, mussy mohawk. Though certainly not typical, it seems to suit him and his youthful vigor. It's not too strange, for someone that's only sixty-seven years old.

Hailing from Garpaath, Rasmus is the youngest of three children. His is a family that's neither wealthy, nor especially stuck on tradition. It's adaptability that acts as their guiding principle. Perhaps that's why Rasmus' family is full of Frostborn. From a relatively early age, it seemed obvious that he should pursue the path for himself. His family provided plenty of help along the way, and it didn't take long for him to realize that not only were the benefits plenty worthwhile, but that it was also fun. At least, from his perspective. What wasn't to love about being resistant to not only the elements, but conventional weaponry as well?

Whether it be due to his resilience, age, or simply his upbringing, Rasmus is a little cocky. Fortunately, this is somewhat balanced by his friendly nature. Certainly, he may think himself to be great, but that certainly doesn't mean others can't be as well. Paired with the right people, he may very well go far.

Due to how often I'm poking Vis and giving him information for Rasmus to know, I figured I'd go ahead and add this sub-mechanic in.

As of now, I am letting everyone pick two racial specializations, which will give you additional info when you run into a member of that race, or are exploring that race's homeland. These are completely OPTIONAL, but they will afford you extra information about what maybe particularly notable. As well as the prime races, some players will be able to select to take a speciality on some of the more uncommon races. Storywise, it's up to you how you want to incorporate how you know. Maybe you just get a feeling about that dragon, or you've read up on the Snow Elves or something. Naturally, your prime race will be given for free, so you may pick two from the following lists. The way this'll work is, for example, I'll say that I have a specialty in humans from Partia, as well as Forest Elves, rather than ALL humans and ALL elves. Hopefully that makes sense.

Bes and I have talked it out, and he's decided the best course of action would be to drop the game entirely for the time being. So as it stands, I'm GMing that Guy stayed behind in Frostbyte, nursing a hellacious Garpaathi cold.

Thankfully, I have a mystery guest lined up to take the vacant party slot!

This post is entirely for fun, but there may be some extras hidden in here that may give some hints to certain individuals.

I like to think of abilities. Even in a game like this where combat is largely minimal and glossed over, I still like to make up abilities that say something about the character. I also like making stupid names.

In that line of thought, I went ahead and cleaned up my notes on the passive abilities that some of the major NPCs possess. Some of the names are references, with some of them being more obscure than others. But to make this post slightly more interesting, I am offering a prize to whoever can list the references made.

That said: Not every ability has a referential name. That's your one hint.

Finally, hey, if you wanna come up with some shit for your character, go for it. I may even acknowledge it!

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Cannon:

That Which Has No Life (AKA: Hax!): Cannon cannot be reduced past 1 HP. Any additional damage is simply shrugged off.

Float Like a Silkfly, Sting Like a Water Rode: If an attacker misses a shot at Cannon, she will capitalize on it and strike back. Limited to once per turn.

March of the Undead: What, you thought Cannon would fight you alone? Every third turn, a new Revenant joins the fray. Hope the GM does not roll a 12.

Hand In Hand: Cannon is completely immune to temperature effects, including extra damage from enchantments. Sorry!

Bastion:

Carrion Scream: Bastion roars, causing all lesser animals to flee in terror. May cause stampedes or other bad stuff.

Rhyme:

No Rhyme or Reason: Rhyme is immune to fear effects, either by courage, willpower, or just idiocy.

I Was In The Pool!: Rhyme's damage in battle is directly linked to her HP. The lower her HP, the lower the damage done.

Isol:

Antisocial: Isol never, ever speaks. Isol therefor cannot cast magic.

Custom Model: Isol has the abilities, armament, and training of a Jonin, despite being human. Her lack of Nekana musculature and anatomy does not seem to effect her in any way, and she moves and performs identically.

Calamity:

Look Ma, No Vitals!: Calamity cannot be critically hit, as her body is largely uniform metal. Her consciousness could be contained in her foot for all you know.

That Kid's Dynamite!: Despite being 4'7 and having the appearance of a preteen, Calamity is extremely strong, capable of lifting over three times more than an adult human.

Power Metal, Speed Metal, Death Metal: Calamity is immune to electricity in all its forms-- In fact, electricity empowers her, allowing her to move significantly faster. Additionally, Calamity cannot be killed traditionally, only KO-ed. The last part was added to maintain the theme of the joke.

Iron Chef: Calamity can cook up a storm at no penalty.

Glory Glory Hallelujah: Calamity does 5x damage to a certain individual. If you fight this guy, you'll need it.

Relaying this from a chat with Shini for use in the current chase scene:

Idran1701 (8:58:19 PM): ALSO IS THE TWIN ON THE ROOFTOPS JUST GOING STRAIGHT OR WHATIdran1701 (8:58:23 PM): AND WHAT KIND OF AREA ARE WE INIdran1701 (8:58:37 PM): IS SHE HAVING TO JUMP ACROSS THINGS OR NO? AND IS EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL OR IS IT CHANGING A LOT?TheWaiChibiAngel (8:58:48 PM): level is changing, but she's having no issues.Idran1701 (8:58:49 PM): AND WHAT KIND OF STUFF IS ON THE ROOFS?TheWaiChibiAngel (8:58:54 PM): ROOF STUFF.Idran1701 (8:59:07 PM): IF YOU WANT US TO USE STRATEGY YOU WILL HAVE TO BE MORE DETAILED THAN THAT >:Idran1701 (8:59:25 PM): And what about jumping across things or not?TheWaiChibiAngel (8:59:38 PM): She occasionally has to jump across alleyways about 8 feet across.Idran1701 (8:59:48 PM): And she is just going straight?TheWaiChibiAngel (8:59:55 PM): As mucha s possible.TheWaiChibiAngel (9:00:10 PM): I should probably draw up a map.TheWaiChibiAngel (9:00:26 PM): As for stuff on rooftops, they're slightly slanted to keep snow from building up, even though the city is war enough not to need it.TheWaiChibiAngel (9:00:34 PM): Clay shingle type things.Idran1701 (9:01:01 PM): *nod*

About how far is the edge of the city? Or at least somewhere where she'll _have_ to turn.Idran1701 (9:01:17 PM): (Or jump down)TheWaiChibiAngel (9:01:24 PM): She's running deeper in, but there's a much wider street coming up in about 35 feet.Idran1701 (9:01:34 PM): *nod*TheWaiChibiAngel (9:02:58 PM): Changes in height are upwards of 8 feet, but she's scrambling up using handholds and natural athletic talent.Idran1701 (9:04:02 PM): And what's she wearing again? Exactly the same as her twin?TheWaiChibiAngel (9:04:17 PM): Hoodie and jeans.TheWaiChibiAngel (9:04:22 PM): And that silly mask.Idran1701 (9:04:38 PM): *nod*Idran1701 (9:05:53 PM): Ah wait, is it clear enough ahead even with the changes that Kyrie would be able to see that wide street?Idran1701 (9:05:59 PM): *changes in heightTheWaiChibiAngel (9:06:12 PM): Yeah.

So I've been thinking about beefing up the 'system' of Null's a bit. Right now, there is no system. Roll D6 to determine damage, ect, ect.

I'm wondering about adding a small, simple homebrew system using templates and the like to stat the players out, or allowing you to do it on your own if you really want to. Along with that, giving a few pre-made abilities that can be both actively used and passively 'equipped' (If you've ever played Final Fantasy 9, that sort of system). One to award passive bonuses, the other to be actively used as needed. This would probably include HP, MP, SP (For non-magic skills), and four to five basic stats. There'd be level ups and that sort of good stuff, too, so you'd power up over time!

Also, I've made up a few sample skills, both active and passive, just by example of what I mean.

Sky Elf: Active: Eyes in the Sky - Current Perception check can be rerolled; once for the Elf and once for the Razor. Passive: Eat Like A (Carrion) Bird - Rotten food is as good as any other! (Can gain HP through consumption of spoiled food)

Nekana: Active: Cat's Grace - Current agility roll gets a x2 modifier.Passive:Way of the Sinister Paw - On a critical hit, the Nekana will follow up with a Cheap Shot (TM) and stun their target for one turn.

Snow Elf: Active: Unstoppable - Next three strength rolls get a x1.5 modifier, as well as the next Damage roll getting a x2 modifier.Passive: Icebound Fortitude - +2 Stam, +1 Strength.

Djinni Master: Active: Wish - The current stat roll can be changed to ANY OTHER stat roll, so long as it can be almost logically justified.Passive: Phenomenal Cosmic Power - On a critical hit, the Djinn and Djinni Master will empower their spells, making them far more impressive to look at...And potentially inciting panic (Fear) in their target for one turn.

So, sample skills both active and passive. Let me know what you guys think and I'll work on it some more, if people want me to.

Eenteresting. Do want to see more. Though I don't think I like the Sky Elf passive (though Sky Elf is a way better term than City Elf btws), just because when Spitter was first discussed Red was highly offended on her behalf at the comparison to a carrion eater. Maybe rather than spoiled food it could be just be the ability to eat raw/uncooked food without ill effect. Or make the passive Eyes in the Sky (two rolls for every perception check if outdoors, each rolls just once but if one succeeds both do; if both succeed then maybe a spot of additional intel) and make the active something allowing for rapid extraction/repositioning in a single turn if outdoors, or the ability for a sky elf or a razorbeak to sacrifice their action in a turn to interrupt what would have otherwise been a successful attack against their other half ("Air Defense").

It sounds like the consensus is "Yeah a system would be good", so I'm gonna take a couple days to work that out. For the meanwhile, combat will just continue to be simplified, ect ect ect. I'll try and have passive skill menus available soon, and if you have any thoughts about passives or actives, let me know.

These are all PASSIVE skills. Active skills will be in another update, and those I encourage you to work on on your own so you can have your own sort of flavor to them, and I'll run the numbers and balancing on them.

Feel free to not only look at your own skills, but everyone else's, as well. The list will grow to include NPC skills to accommodate for a Borrowed Skill system, in which you can also take skills from NPC pools to whom you have a connection. This can also be done player to player, but both players have to agree that there is indeed enough of a connection to warrant it. These borrowed skills are represented by cultural knowledge, training, items, that sort of thing. Finally, on Borrowed Skills, you can only be borrowing from ONE other character at any given time, at least to begin.

To start, you will have 2 PP usable to equip these skills. Skills can be rearranged in between chapters, or during downtime. I promise there'll be at least one chance to rearrange skills during a mission.

Finally, for the General skills, I'm not going to say that you can't have all the Practiced Hands and Educated's you want, but I am going to start calling bullshit if Rasmus has Practiced Hand: Haiku Writing.

Stats will probably be cemented over the weekend, but this is half of it done!

Stats! Stats were actually way easier than I thought they'd be, of course I'm sure Idran or Vis or Price are going to poke holes into what I have without too much trouble at all. The idea here is that I'm going for the simplest thing possible while covering as many bases as I can. As such, I ended up with a total of 9 stats, 4 being more physical, 3 being more magical, and 1 being pertinent to both, and the final being...sort of it's own thing. Stats will also have template bonuses and very slightly different uses depending on your race. So, here's what I've got:

Strength - Strength is Strength. It determines weapon damage and is used for displaying one's physical power. When dealing damage, 1/2 of your strength is added onto that of your weapon roll to calculate final damage. Strength also determines how much TP Snow Elves and Clockwork have available. Example checks: Overpowering someone, Breaking something.

Stamina - Stamina is how much punishment your body can take naturally. The biggest thing Stamina effects is your HP- Everyone's HP calculation goes through Stamina before any modifiers are applied. Stamina also determines the TP pools of all Humans and Revenants. Example checks: Distance running, prolonged climbing, physical activity.

Dexterity - How good you are with your hands. In combat, Dexterity is important for physical attackers, as it determines your chance to hit- 2x your Dexterity is added onto your roll to see if you overcome your opponents defense. Dexterity also determines TP pools for Plainsrunners, Dwarves, and Dark Elves. Example checks: Playing piano, lockpicking, armorcrafting.

Agility - How fast you are. In combat, Agility is directly added onto your final Hit roll to see if you crit (By surpassing the defense roll by a certain amount). Agility determines TP pools for Nekana, Sky Elves, and Altered. Examples checks: Acrobatics, evasive maneuvers, running to the bathroom.

Courage - How brave you are. Courage is also very big for everyone in combat situations; it determines your defense. When making a defense roll, your courage is directly added into the roll for both Physical and Magic attacks, making it a catch all defensive stat. If you do take a hit, 1/2 of your Courage is added onto your armor. The rational behind this is courage allows you to attempt to block or parry a hit, or resist the spell that's been cast at you. It determines the TP pools for a few races, but none of them are important at the moment. Example Checks: Resisting intimidation, rallying others, willpower.

Perception - How observant you are. Perception acts as the hit stat for magic, working exactly the same as Dexterity does for physical. Example checks: Spot checks, Listening checks, Spying.

Intelligence - How intelligent you are. Works as the crit stat for magic, identical to Agility for Physical. Example checks: Remembering stuff, knowing things, knowing not to eat the yellow snow.

Magic - How much raw magical power do you have? Works as the damage and attack stat for magic, with 1/2 of it being added to your magical damage for your final total. Also determines ALL MP pools. Example checks: Basically anything dealing with magic that can't be lumped into anything else first.

Charisma - How much do people like you? This is pretty much entirely non-combat, though some abilities here and there may cause it to play in a bit. But that's the exception rather than the rule. Example checks: Bartering, Intimidation, Getting a Date.

And those are the primary stats. Nice and simple, I hope. But what's that stuff about Hit, Crit, HP, TP, and MP? HERE WE GO:

HP: You should know this one. This is how much physical abuse you can take. HP pools are always 5x your Stamina. (Stray has 6 stamina after racial template, thus has 30 HP. Holy shit she's tanky for being level 1.)

MP: This is your MAGIC JUICE. You need this to cast spells. MP is always 5x your Magic stat. (Stray has 0 magic because lolol dead kid never learned magic, and thus has 0 MP.)

TP: This is your PUNCH JUICE. You need this to use your Active Skills in and out of combat. TP is determined by a different stat, depending on your race. TP pools are always 5x that stat. (Stray is a Revenant, thus her TP is determined by her Stamina, and thus Stray has 30 TP holy god this kid is dynamite.)

Hit: All weapons have accuracy attached. That accuracy, plus Dex modifier, determines whether or not you hit. (Stray is equipped with Kitten's Claws with D6 accuracy, and dexterity of 5. She rolls a 2, and gets 2x her Dex added, for a final Hit of 12.)

Defense: All armor has a guard score to determine how well it keeps you safe. This, plus Courage, determines if you defend. (Envy is equipped with Homonculus Loose Meat Suit with guard of D6, and Courage of 6. Envy rolls a 2, and gets her courage added for a final Guard of 8.)

Crit: Crit is when you do MEGA DAMAGE. Usually it's just double damage. Crit is determined by adding Agility onto the final Hit score of the attacker, and seeing if it gets above twice the Guard score of the attacker. (Stray attacks Envy! Stray's hit is 12, Envy's defense is 8, so the attack hits. With Stray's agility of 4, Stray's Crit is 16. It is exactly twice Envy's Guard, so while it's very close, it unfortunately DOES NOT Crit.)

Damage: Damage is easy. It's just 1/2 your strength added into your weapon damage, or 2x your strength if it's in the negatives. (Stray hits Envy! Kitten's Claws does 1-2 damage, and Stray's strength is -2. Given that her strength is negative, final damage is 1-2 added to -4. Kitten's Claws are not strong enough to overcome Stray's pitiful girly arms, and thus damage total is 0.)

Defense: Defense is also somewhat easy. Just 1/2 of Courage added into your armor value, or 2x if your courage is negative. (Stray hits Envy! Stray is a puss and can't do damage in the first place, but Envy insists on rolling Defense. Envy's Loose Meat Suit has armor value of 0, combined with a courage of 6, Envy defends 3 damage of the hit, despite being made of ground beef.)

Final note: what are templates?!

Templates are just the bonuses you get based on your race, displayed by a (+x) by a stat or two in your Raw Stats. Along with the players, these templates will level up every so often, adding more free bonus stats to your character! Templates will also play a role in stat ceilings, but that's nothing to worry about until much much later.

Character Creation:

The next post contains a sample sheet for Stray. Stats are your playground, distribute them however you want- You're allowed to go negative, but negative stats are pretty much universally bad. At level 1, you have 18 stat points to play with. I'm going to go ahead and say there's a starting ceiling of 6 in any given stat, just so we don't end up with Kyrie having 18 charisma and nothing else. I'll be around all weekend if you'd like a hand with making up sheets and the like, and I'll also be doing statting of your starting gear personally, so just give me a shout this weekend when you're ready to roll.

I THINK that's all I have. I think. I'm sure I missed something though, so please, give it a look over and let me know if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns.